


Traditions Lost

by TheOmnicientDingleBerries



Category: Original Work
Genre: Canada, Child Abandonment, Family, Friendship, Gen, Hope, Loss of Identity, Love, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 18:52:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8589793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOmnicientDingleBerries/pseuds/TheOmnicientDingleBerries
Summary: This story is about a 16-year-old Canadian girl named Jade who lost her identity after living by herself for five years. She tries to regain knowledge with the help of her friends by going to a place dedicated to the Aboriginals.
This story was done at the time I was doing the mid-term exam. So it was a visual reflection I had to do in English class. I kind of liked the story I made and I decided to share it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so like what I said in the summary, this was done during the mid-term exam. I had to do some planning and think on what I should do with the visual reflection. My class was given an image and we had to do something related with the picture. We had limited time (an hour and thirty minutes), but I had to rush this a little because I think too much. But at the end, everything is fine. :D
> 
> I feel like I want to share this story because I like how this went. So I decided to post this.
> 
> I don't know if some of you are interested in the story I wrote, but I hope you enjoy it! Also, if this story has offended you, please let me know immediately and I will try to fix this. I am not the best at research just to let you know.

When you no longer follow your values that you are given, it was all lost and gone. You may not notice it, but eventually, it will come to you. When it does, you realize what you have done. There is time to revive your loss, but it will take a while. People do their best to prevent loss from their identity, and it wasn’t easy for them. But for me? It was harder than I thought. It’s more than hard, probably the hardest level I lived.

 

I lost my own identity ever since I moved away from my family. My mother purposely abandoned me to live on my own so that I could be more responsible. However, it was hard to prevent myself from keeping my identity. Being placed in an apartment with myself changed my view in the inside. I weeped when I first got here, because the family I loved put me away to a place where I can’t see them. They don’t hate me, but I relied too much on them. It is as I was acting like I am on a higher class than them...I guess that’s one of the reasons why I was sent here. The apartment felt less comfortable than what I previously lived in, but I did my best to make the most out of it.

 

I was a Métis, so I was born here in Canada. We had our own culture and community, and we had a great time together as one. I was very fluent in French and Cree. From what my mother said, our heritage is the most common in Canada, or that is. I also know that our flag in our group is one of the oldest. So I had some knowledge in my culture as a Métis.

 

Anyways, after living for five years alone in my apartment (I am sixteen years now), I realize how much knowledge I lost. Even from me learning some cultures in Social Studies, I still don’t know my culture to this day. Is it because the people I am surrounded with? Well...I guess I could say that, but dang, we are a variety. I mean, it isn’t a bad thing to have people from different groups in Canada, but I fear that no one from my group is here. I guess I had to look in more deeper.

 

I had my friends who visit me once in awhile, and they care about me as much as I did with them. We hanged out a lot, and there was no problem. They also helped me settle myself in the apartment more better, and I felt more comfortable. My girls, Ashlynn, Tracy, Xenia, Emma and Carrie are pretty close together ever since we are pre-teens, even though some of us are in different grades. One time, I asked my friends if they have lost their identity. Surprisingly, all of them have not. They still have their knowledge of their own culture. My best friend, Ashlynn, is a French-Canadian, and still remains to know her own language. Technically, she was born in France, but one of her parents was raised in Canada, but that’s about it. Tracy is also fully Canadian like me, but I could not remember which culture she practices specifically. However, she is able to speak at least two languages she was taught. Xenia is a Haitian, but she is half-African. For her, she knows both of her cultures very well, and she hasn’t even lost part of her identity despite being in two. That seemed hard in being a mixed race, but i’m glad she is doing well. Both Emma and Carrie are also born in Canada, but they also had previous descents. I couldn’t remember Emma’s, but she is very fluent in Italian and Spanish. Carrie, on the other hand, is Irish, though she wasn’t born with a flowing accent. She does know her culture well and she is pretty smart if you ask me.

 

Hearing from my friends does make me envious, yet at the same time I felt doleful. If I could just remember myself being an actual Métis, then nothing would be a problem. Then, my best friend, Ashlynn, took a stand.

“Hey, I forgot to tell you guys.” she said.

 

“What is it?” I replied.

 

“I heard there is a celebration somewhere in downtown, we should go there.”

 

“Really?” Tracy responded.

 

“Yes. And the celebration is dedicated to a group of people.”

 

“Who is it then?”

 

“I forgot, but let’s go there anyways.”

 

Really Ashlynn? You would know these, and you forgot? Whatever, at least I can go there without thinking too much.

 

The six of us arrived in the area where the celebration was held. I got to say, this is a pretty cultural event. Carrie examined what the event is about.

 

“From what I can see here, it seems that this event is dedicated to the Aboriginals.” Carrie said.

 

“Like who?” Emma replied.

 

“Well, I can’t be so sure, but I know that one of them is Jade’s group. I can see them smiling.”

 

My group? The Métis? And yet, there was a lot of them. Just like Carrie said, I can see smiles and laughter from them. There are some people that aren’t part of them are there, but they seem to enjoy their company with my culture. Even the ones who aren’t Métis can speak the languages much better than I can. I feel even more weaker on the inside. I want to repossess everything I was taught and given, I don’t want to lose my identity any longer. I can’t. I must not. I know I must regain those, it’s never too late.

“Hey Jade. You know you can go to your group. After all, you are a Métis.” Xenia said as she gently tapped my shoulder.

“She’s right. You still have time.” Ashlynn added.

They’re right. I still have time.

I start to run through a crowd of smiles and happiness all over the place. I accidently bumped to a guy with a mohawk on his head. He glared at me, but I responded with an apology. For some reason, this guy looks like he was in my school, and someone that I used to be in a relationship with. He looks familiar, but I can’t get my eye on it. Well, that doesn’t matter, so I moved on. Then I continued to try to find the Métis, and it took me less than a minute. When I reached there, a familiar face glanced at me. Her eyes were wide open, and her mouth opened a little.

“It can’t be...is it?” she whispered.

“You remember me?” I questioned.

“You are?”

“My...m-mother?”

Then I realize, she was the one who told be to be more responsible. However, her smile made me remember her, the one who raised me and taught me. We both embraced each other in our arms, and water drops fell from our orbs.

“Mother, please teach me more.” I cried.

“I will, but you must know what you have learned.”

“But how?”

“I’ll show you.”

Then she showed me all the possessions my family has. She even helped me learn the languages I lost, and helped me regain knowledge. Unfortunately, I only regained a little, but she told me that I will progress my redemption as a Métis.

Overtime, I was able to know my traditions and values of my culture, and I still kept going with it. Even if I lost my own identity, my friends know that I still have time, and I know it is never too late despite losing your own identity. I still live alone in my apartment, but I still maintain my knowledge of a Métis.

Then, someone knocked on my door. It wasn’t loud, but still hearable. I head to the door and opened it slowly. Oddly, no one was there. He or she must’ve left. However, there was something that caught my eye. It was a detailed-designed bowl lying in front of me. I picked it up, and there was a note on it. Apparently whoever gave this bowl to me was the one who was at the celebration.

“ _Dear Jade,_

_You haven’t fully understand your culture, so I am giving you this final object. This is the one that you loved the most, and your mother told me to give this to you. Enjoy!_

_Sincerely, the guy you saw._

_P.S. I hope that you and I could get back together once again.”_

Well, I haven’t learned fully from what the note says, but I do remember this bowl...I do...but I don’t know. And that guy...wanted to go back with me? Well, I guess it takes time to recover, dang it.


End file.
